This invention relates to a fabric selvage end cut prevention cutter guide in a shuttleless loom, e.g., a fluid jet type loom such as of the air jet picking type, and more particularly it relates to a cutter guide adapted to protect and guide a fabric selvage end so as to prevent the cutting of the fabric selvage end which is liable to occur when the ends of inserted weft threads are cut.
Fabrics produced by shuttleless looms have a fringed selvage at the fabric selvage end (or edge), the presence of which fringed selvage tends to detract from their market value as it makes them look unfavorable in comparison with fabrics which are produced by ordinary looms and which have no fringed selvage so that the selvage line can be distinctly and neatly exhibited. Therefore, to make them look as favorable as possible to increase their market value, it has been desired that the fringed selvage be trimmed as short as possible. To this end, it has been proposed to position the cutter as close to the fabric selvage end as possible so as to allow the cutting of weft threads to be effected in close proximity to the fabric selvage end. However, since a fabric being woven is influenced by such factors as warp thread tension, fabric take-up tension, and the temperature and humidity in the weaving room, whereby the fabric width changes more or less during weaving, there is a fear that if the fabric width increases, the fabric selvage end is caught by the blades of the cutter installed in close proximity thereto and is thereby cut. Therefore, it has been common practice to effect the cutting of inserted weft threads by installing the cutter at a position excessively remote from the fabric selvage end to the extent that the fabric selvage end is not cut. As a result, the fringed selvage lengthens and has its threads entwined with each other, detracting from the aesthetic value of the fabric and forming an obstacle to the subsequent treatment; it has been impossible to expect to eliminate such drawbacks.